


I am coming home

by gwenever



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Canon Related, Gen, Happy Ending, Post-Canon, Post-Lord of the Rings, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, Song Lyrics, bilbo and the company, bilbo and thorin bromance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:42:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28525671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwenever/pseuds/gwenever
Summary: Bilbo after a long life goes back home.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins & Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins & Thorin's Company, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin's Company
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	I am coming home

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I had for a long time ready (eng not my first language sorry for mistakes :/)  
> Song: Coming Home - Skylar Gray

> _**And the blood will dry** _
> 
> _**Underneath my nails** _

The years had passed, the hands are worn out, the spirit withered.

Bilbo had struggled all his life, struggling against the desire to leave again, to see the Wilds again, to taste the air of the Misty Mountains, to rest under the shadow of the Lonely Mountain.

Dry was the blood on his blade, dry was the blood under his nails, washed away by the inexorable time, which flowed for him at last.

His last journey was never so desired, but his youthful spirit had abandoned him in the gardens of Rivendell. Like a blade beaten too long his spirit had broken, under the trees that withered in the valley. He would have never seen again the white peaks, no longer hear the thrushes or watched the great dwarves’ rods that guarded the Mountain’s entrance.

His memory left him, his hair got greyed, his skin crumbled and all his memories disappeared, leaving small fragments that seemed to him more and more confused, like all the faces from the people around him and their voices, only faint whispers.

> **_And the wind will rise up_ **
> 
> _**To fill my sails** _

White sails accompanied him in his last adventure, sails that would take him beyond his conception of the world, in a land of immortal memory and existence. Where everything would be peace and joy, and his withered heart would finish to beat.

The salt on his hands became more and more intangible, the days were always the same, the memories now completely disappeared gave him no more joy, he often wondered where he was, with whom he was and who he was. He was, he is, he will be, it didn’t matter anymore.

> **_So you can doubt_ **
> 
> **_And you can hate_ **

And there it was, a warm light, rising from behind white ribs, it illuminated the marked wrinkles on his face, but like a dawn too late it did not illuminate the soul of Bilbo, who in that instant, as the bright horizons approached, collapsed.

Even that time his journey was not over, stuck halfway through again, unable to move between the past and the future. Fate had reserved for him one last mockery, the last disappointment,the last pain, the last loss.

The greyness of the shapes in front of him became darker and darker, the voices more and more feeble, the eyes heavier and heavier, while for the last time he leaned on Frodo’s shoulder, tired, tired for the last time.

> **_But I know_ **
> 
> **_No matter what it takes_ **

It was a moment, his eyes snapped open, a whiff of air made him jump slightly backwards, but something blocked him, a fence, a fence he knew well. He looked at his hand on it while it was resting on the wood: it was smooth and spotless, timeless.

He made his gaze fall even lower by lowering his neck, little golden cufflinks adorned the long red sleeves of his jacket, a green vest was wrapped around his chest. He took a breath: it could not be his, he was too old, too worn by time. He wasn’t understanding.

When he looked up, the Bag-end was in front of him, so real that he stood motionless looking at every tile, every stone on the pavement, up to the green roof that lay on it. The evening light illuminated the old round door, which was ajar. From under its doorway came out a warm light, as well as from the two small windows on its side.

Slowly he began to walk too amazed to be able to hold his weight, he climbed the small stone steps trembling slightly. His legs hadn’t been this strong for a long time, his eyes distinguished colours and his mind was clear of past horrors and confusion. He approached the doorway stretching his hand towards the door, a faint voice and the sound of footsteps blocked his hand a few inches from it.

Those voices.

A sudden heat permeated his chest.

He reached out his hand towards the door and pushed it slightly, something told him there was no need to knock.

> _**I’m coming home** _
> 
> **_I’m coming home_ **
> 
> **_Tell the world I’m coming home  
> _ **

Bag-end was as he had left: his armchair by the fire, the documents scattered on the table were in disorder, his maps moved to one side of the table, while his huge book was resting on the desk. But there was something different. Slowly and trembling he approached towards the small corridor, there the voices were louder and louder.

Those voices, those words, those noises.

His eyes began to moisten as he slowly looked out towards the door of his kitchen and let a teardrop at the sight of its interior.

> **_Let the rain_ **
> 
> _**Wash away** _
> 
> **_All the pain of yesterday_ **

“Mr. Baggins! You are here!”

Kili’s head rose smiling from the back of the room, with a smile that would have lit up the whole room if it had been possible. Twelve dwarves were around the table of his dining room, plates scattered along its entire length, full and overflowing beer mugs, stains on the walls and food scattered all over the floor.

“You ruined the surprise, I told you what we had to do, brother!”

Fili grabbed Kili’s jacket and pulled him slightly down to his seat.

“Bilbo! You finally made it!” Bofur got up smiling from close to the door and looked out from it, the funny hat was swinging on his head while talking. “We were wondering where you were. I’m only sorry that Bombur snuck into the pantry, there wasn’t much left, but Dori managed to prepare something”. He nodded inhaling a bit from his brown pipe.

“Something that isn’t soup!” Fili shouted in the back of the room laughing and raising his beer mug high to the ceiling.

“And he’s also right, do you have any idea how long we’ve waited?” Grumbled Dwalin sitting by the door with his hands crossed at the chest “We were getting old here!”

"Dwalin don’t be rude, Mr. Bilbo must have had his work to do.” Dori scolded him, arranging the last dishes meticulously and placing a big pot around the table.

“We-we have kept everything in order! Mr. Bilbo!” Said Ori extending his head beyond Nori who was holding an arm around his shoulders, nodding looking directly to him.

“I, however, Bilbo, borrowed some of your pipeweed, I hope you don’t mind”.

“Sure, who knows who smoked it all, everyone here is good with other people’s things.” Glòin grumbles, sitting better on the chest. “Here, if it weren’t for m,e you would all still have broken pipes, I invest well in Durins name!” He grumbled but that thing only made Bilbo smile even more and all of sudden he allowed a silent tear to come out, rolling down on his cheek, looking all the dwarves one by one while his hands started to shake.

> **_I know my kingdom awaits_ **
> 
> **_And they’ve forgiven my mistakes_ **

****

****

It wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be, they were there for real, it wasn’t a daydream, they were there. He remained silent while everyone was staring at him, some of them anxious while others with a slight smile on their lips.

"Y-you’re here.” He whispered and let a sob come out of his chest, causing Balin to worry, who came up from his seat and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Are you alright laddie?” He didn’t answer, he looked at him and continued to let the salty drops fall on his cheeks. Bilbo nodded quickly and wiped his tears with the back of his sleeve, but they did not stop pressing his eyes insistently.

“Sorry, I-I…I’ve been busy.” He said among the tears, pulling up his nose. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything.” He cried as he looked at them in the face again and a sad smile was painted on everyone’s face but their gaze changed when their eyes moved to something behind his shoulders.

“You made it in the end master burglar.” A deep sudden voice made his heart stop, or made it start again, he could not say for sure. He only knew that when he turned to look behind him, the tears stopped suddenly. There had not been a day when that voice did not echo in his head when that look did not haunt him, when his blood did not stain his clothes.

Two blue eyes looked at him, kindly, a small smile appeared on the face of the dwarf with long raven hair greyed by time.

“Welcome home Bilbo.”

> **_I’m coming home_ **
> 
> **_I’m coming home_ **
> 
> **_Tell the world I’m coming_ **
> 
> **_Home_ **


End file.
